The Golden State Warriors already set a record for total payroll last season. Big-money extensions for Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins that kick in next year threaten to push the team's total roster cost past $500 million come 2023-24, unless the Warriors shed tens of millions in salary.
Could this season mark Draymond Green's last dance in Golden State? Maybe. But if Joe Lacob and the Warriors' ownership group ultimately decide to break up this team's dynastic core, be sure to keep the franchise's historic updated valuation from Forbes in mind.
The Warriors have unseated the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks as the NBA's most valuable organization, according to Forbes (paywall), worth an estimated $7 billion after raking in revenue at record rates during their 2021-22 championship season.
For the first time in more than two decades, when Forbes began valuing National Basketball Association teams, a team other than the New York Knicks or the Los Angeles Lakers is the league’s most valuable. This year, the Golden State Warriors take the top spot, worth $7 billion, 25% more than last year. (The full list of NBA team valuations can be found here.) During the 2021-22 season, the Warriors generated the most revenue ($765 million after paying their revenue-sharing check) and the most operating income ($206 million) in NBA history as they won their fourth title in eight years and played their first full season with fans in the new Chase Center.
The Warriors made league financial history by raking in $150 million from arena sponsorships and advertising, double any other team, and by pulling in more than $250 million from premium seating, by far the most in the league.
New York is second in Forbes' updated valuations at $5.9 billion, knocked off the top spot for the first time in seven years. Los Angeles is third at $5.9 billion. The Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics round out the top-five as the only other NBA teams valued at more than $4 billion.
NBA franchises at large are valued at $2.85 billion, a 15% increase compared to last year.
Lacob balked at reports this summer that the Warriors would be comfortable with their total payroll ballooning into the $400-$500 million range in 2023-24. He and president of basketball operations Bob Myers both acknowledged the possibility of Golden State parting ways with one of Poole, Wiggins and Green during the offseason, but put off questions about that prospect once the latter pair inked extensions shortly before tipoff of the 82-game grind.
It's no surprise the Warriors are basketball's most valuable franchise. Chase Center, as the local saying goes, “prints money,” and Golden State welcomed fans to its glitzy arena in San Francisco for the first time last season. The franchise's renewed on-court success was bound to drive already lucrative advertising and sponsorship revenue to new levels.
Revenues and profits are separate from income, though. Only Lacob and his fellow owners know how open they would be to cutting smaller checks for themselves if it means keeping Golden State's on-court core intact beyond this season.
For Dub Nation's sake, though, you'd hope Forbes' public reporting on the franchise's record-setting value and revenue would make them more amenable to keeping this dynasty going as long as possible.
[Forbes]
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